Freedoms In the Classroom: Cultivating a Successful Third Space for Literacy Growth

Sue Nash-Ditzel, Tammy Brown

Abstract

This phenomenologically-based, action research study looked at themes across the interviews of college students after they participated in the Digital Reading Log (DRL); a literacy-based activity utilizing the Internet, word processing software and email. The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ experiences in the basic skills reading classroom while engaged with the DRL. Findings indicate that the DRL afforded the students various freedoms, such as freedom of language and choice. The data suggested that the instructor was able to draw upon these freedoms to effectively create a Third Space that improved struggling young adult readers’ understanding of text while increasing their motivation to read.